Raffles are a fun, buzzy fundraising strategy that inspires donors to compete for tantalizing prizes. While in-person raffles have a truly unique energy, virtual raffles are all the rage, too! Whether a raffle will be held in-person or virtually, nonprofit teams can get stumped during the early planning stage about what gifts to offer their supporters. After all, when raffle prizes are fresh and exciting, you’re more likely to generate tons of enthusiasm at a well-attended event, which translates into more revenue toward your special cause.
In this article, we share creative raffle prize ideas, from budget gifts all the way to a major splurge, that work across all ages and tastes. Your next raffle is sure to be unforgettable!
Budget Raffle Prizes
Sometimes, big, showy donations aren’t forthcoming, and money is tight. Then it’s time to shake things up with budget raffle prize ideas that everyone will be thrilled to win.
1. Ice cream date
If you’re holding your raffle in the warmer months, there’s nothing better than a sweet ice cream date for 2 at the local ice cream parlor. If the weather is cooler, just make it a coffee date! Either way, you’re looking at less than $15 for a cute, intimate experience.
2. Baked treats
When budgets are really tight, just enlist your volunteers to whip up some tasty desserts at home, and then raffle ‘em off on an online fundraising platform! Delicious AND free? Yes, please!
3. Headphones
Here’s the thing about headphones: they’re an essential item that everyone is constantly losing or misplacing. That’s why it’s one of the best raffle prize ideas that will cost you as much as you want to spend, since there are headphones for anywhere from $10 to hundreds of dollars. Better yet, ask your volunteers and supporters to donate a few pairs!
4. Bottle of Wine
A bottle of wine is a raffle classic. Whether you opt for one budget bottle, three budget bottles, or one quality merlot, many liquor stores will be generous with their inventory for a good cause. Just remember that livestreaming a grateful shoutout on your social media pages is always a good idea!
5. Family Board Game
One of the simplest and most affordable gifts, a family board game is sure to make any winner happy. While it’s super easy to find low-cost board games online or in discount stores, you can also ask your supporters to donate their gently used board games.
6. Ghost tour
Ghost tours are a one-of-a-kind experience for a family outing, a date, or a group of friends. While some cities only offer them around October, plenty of places host tours year-round, especially regions with unique or memorable histories. Get in touch with the tour operator and ask if they’ll be willing to donate 2-4 tickets to your nonprofit and offer to leave good reviews and testimonials in exchange. Spooky!
7. Movie tickets
Winning 2 free movie passes is always a pleasure, and it’s easy to get your hands on a pair of donated tickets. Make the movie night extra special for your lucky winners with a bucket of popcorn and 2 drinks!
8. Meditation class pass
The popularity of wellness and self-care is on the upswing, and that’s good news for donors who want to take a moment to get centered with a free meditation class. Yoga studios offer classes both indoors and outdoors, so get in touch with a local studio and chat up your organization. For a nice touch, you can attach the class pass to a scented soy wax candle to make the raffle prize ultra-memorable.
Mid-Range Raffle Prizes
If it’s time to raise the bar just a little bit higher, then we’ve got you covered with mid-range raffle prize ideas from $50-$200 to take your fundraising event to the next level!
1. Brewery tour
For adults only, a brewery tour lets your supporters learn how their favorite beers are made while also sampling some of the highlights. Some breweries will even donate a few bottles of the good stuff along with the tour tickets!
2. Smart lightbulb
Clap your hands once, the light flicks on. Clap them twice, it dims. While it may be a trifle gimmicky, a smart lightbulb is a fun, lighthearted prize for all ages that also has legitimately useful functions, like informing you about the moisture levels in your home and alerting you to intruders. You can easily order one online or ask a home goods store for a donation.
3. Personal Trainer Session
A workout routine led by a personal trainer is a treat for fitness enthusiasts. Some personal trainers offer a steeply discounted first session, so it won’t be hard to procure a pass for your donors!
4. Cooking Class
A great event for the entire family—or an exciting date idea—lots of restaurants offer cooking classes. Ask one of them to donate a cooking class to support your mission, and they’re guaranteed to acquire at least a couple of loyal patrons in exchange.
5. Wine and cheese gift basket
There’s no better match than wine and cheese. An iconic raffle prize, you can curate a gift basket to virtually any budget and taste—if you’re holding your fundraiser around a particular holiday, consider raffling off a themed basket.
6. Restaurant Gift Certificate
Local businesses are the best resources for prize donations, and restaurants are no exception! You’ll find that most small, local restaurants will be delighted to support your organization with a free dinner for 2. Just be sure to show your gratitude with a big, public thank you!
7. Concert tickets
Is there a concert happening in your area? Whether it’s a big-name band, a sophisticated symphony, or just the jazz club down the street, a night of music for 2 is one of the more popular raffle prize ideas.
Luxury Raffle Prizes
When you really want to impress the big spenders among your supporters, look no further than luxury raffle prize ideas in the $500-$2000 range.
1. Personal chef
Give your donors the chance to impress their guests with the culinary brilliance of a personal chef, who will prepare and serve a private dinner in the winner’s home. If the prize also includes full set-up and clean-up, your supporters won’t be able to resist!
2. Weekend Getaway
An oldie but a goodie, the reason that this raffle prize idea is so popular at charity fundraisers is because, first, people love vacations and, second, booking a two-night stay in a fun locale is surprisingly easy! To keep logistics as hassle-free as possible, pick a location that the happy winners can comfortably drive to on their own (100 miles, max) and then recruit a hotel in the area to donate a 2 night stay and a dinner date for 2. Presto, a weekend getaway is born!
3. Annual Gym Membership
Since gym memberships can get pricey, most of your supporters will be thrilled for a year of free sweat sessions. The good news for you is that there are budget gyms as well as high-end options, so if nobody is willing to donate a free year, you can choose the workout space that best suits your budget. Remember that there are also plenty of boutique gyms that specialize in one specific form of exercise, like boxing, martial arts, or rowing. Often, they’re the same price—sometimes less—than their bigger counterparts, and being small, they’ll be more open to working with your nonprofit.
4. Original artwork
For all the refined aesthetes in your community, a piece of original, signed artwork is not only a memorable gift, but a worthy investment. Work with a local art gallery to scope out a rising star in the art world that even the most discerning collector will recognize. As far as luxury raffle prize ideas go, this one is easy to customize to your donors’ tastes and your organization’s budget because original art can go from as little as a few hundred dollars into the thousands.
5. Home appliances
Who won’t be thrilled with a new washing machine, refrigerator, microwave, or other essential home appliance? Both big and small home goods stores are usually happy to team up with local nonprofits to donate a new appliance in exchange for some positive word-of-mouth!
6. Smartwatch
Functional and trendy, a smartwatch is just the right gift to appeal to your younger donors and supporters, and giving away several is a great way to ramp up enthusiasm. Bonus tip: you can find refurbished smartwatches for sale online, which basically means they’re just like new, but much more affordable!
7. Yoga Class Package
Can you say Om? Practicing yoga is a trend that’s still going strong which makes it one of those raffle prize ideas that’s well-suited for attracting more youthful supporters. Since most yoga studios are tiny, plenty of them would be happy to donate a 10-class package to a philanthropic organization. As a fun way to level up the gift, you can raffle off a full self-care package, with dreamy essential oils, candles, and even a yoga mat!
Splurge-Worthy Raffle Prizes
Exclusively for the high rollers in your community, splurge-worthy prizes are big, flashy, and sure to keep your supporters on their toes! Gifts like these are most salient for big-ticket fundraising events, like major holiday galas.
1. New Car
What’s more fun than zooming around in a brand-new ride? A showstopper raffle prize! Approaching dealerships and private collectors for a car donation is the most effective way to find a vehicle for your raffle, since many of them will be willing to work with a well-regarded charity organization in return for free advertising. While you might be tempted to go for a luxury car, think about your donor demographic and ask whether they’d prefer something more practical or low maintenance.
2. New Boat
If your constituency is located near the water, then raffling off a new boat is sure to make a major splash! Boat dealers often partner with philanthropic organizations for the sake of showcasing their generosity. You’ll just have to decide what sort of boat your donors will be most excited about: a simple fishing boat, a speedy jet boat, or a leisurely catamaran?
3. Designer Items
If you can be the nonprofit that put a Rolex on a donor’s wrist or a Hermes bag on their shoulder, your raffle is guaranteed a very impressive turnout! High-ticket items like these are usually donated by private foundations, donors, or collectors, but if it aligns with your supporters’ expectations, then a designer watch, bag, or piece of jewelry is a timeless and beautiful gift to add to your raffle.
4. New House
This is the go big or go home prize. It’s also VERY time-intensive, requiring mounds of legal paperwork. However, it’s the kind of once-in-a-lifetime gift that will burn your mission statement into the minds of your biggest donors for years to come! For some fresh inspiration, check out how this generous English couple has been going about raffling off Italian villas for philanthropic organizations.
Fundraisers That Make an Impact
Raffles are a phenomenal opportunity to bring your supporters together for some friendly rivalry and big wins! Since hosting virtual events is one of the biggest nonprofit fundraising trends, hosting an online or hybrid raffle is a fun and fuss-free route to bigger coffers. RallyUp is an online fundraising platform that makes promoting and planning memorable, exciting fundraisers both smooth and easy. Sell tickets, host raffles, auctions, and sweepstakes, and create impactful donation pages for free! We can’t wait to see what you come up with!
